Fri, April 23, 2010 • 2:00 PM • Loction TBA

The Workshop on Late Antiquity PresentsA lecture by Charles Stewart, St. Thomas University.

What is the difference between a classical and a Byzantine city? Across the Mediterranean archaeology uncovered how some large “open” classical cities became smaller “closed” fortified towns. This development happened at different times within different regions, especially within the eastern Roman Empire. For instance, the capital of Cyprus, Salamis-Constantia, experienced this change in the year 650 with the first Arabic settlements. It was once believed that this ushered in a “Dark Age” for the island. However, recent studies have shown that with dramatic change came innovations in architectural design. In this presentation, the development of Salamis-Constantia will be discussed, focusing on how cultural and societal upheaval is reflected in Late Antique urban planning.

Sponsored by: Center for Middle Eastern Studies, the Department of Religious Studies, and the Department of Classics